Page 20 of Love on Ice

“I don’t believe that for a second. You could never be boring.”

Harper giggles. “Well, sometimes I can be. I’m a workaholic.”

“I feel ya. I’ve been accused of that over the years,” I tell her.

“You’re an athlete, you have to keep working as your years are so short,” she states.

“Don’t put me out to pasture just yet.” I chuckle.

“You’re nowhere near ready for retirement, you’re still so young.”

“I’m not that young,” I remind her.

“A hell of a lot younger than me.” She smiles, shaking her head.

“Age is but a number,” I tell her.

“Unless you’re a woman.”

“You would never date a younger guy?”

“Is this a hypothetical or are you asking if I would date you?” she asks.Little of both?I’m not about to tell her that. “To answer your question, I would consider dating someone younger, but they would have to want the same things I do.”

“What’s that?”Just a curious mind, nothing else.

“A long-term relationship. Marriage, family, those kinds of things. And from my disastrous love life, most New York men are not ready for any of those commitments no matter what age they are.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t date a man from New York,” I state.

“A little hard when I live there. Guess I could move to my LA office, but ew, the sun,” she says, rolling her eyes, “or maybe London. I have an office there, too. Food for thought I guess.” She shrugs. “Are you looking forward to being back in New York?”

“It’s the closest to feeling at home other than Quebec.”

“I’ve never been there. I’ve heard it’s gorgeous,” she says.

“Ever need a tour guide of Quebec City, especially in winter when it looks magical, I’m your man.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She grins, taking another sip of her mimosa. “We usually end up in Aspen for winter, my brother and I have a cabin out there.”

“You really are rich,” I tease.

“And like you’re not. Mr. Hockey Star,” she bites back with a glare.

“I’m not saying it’s a bad thing.” I quickly try to redeem myself. “It’s nice meeting someone who isn’t after my money.” Her face softens a little. “I can let my guard down.”

“Guess you would meet a lot of gold diggers then?” she asks.

I nod. “I’m sure you have, too.”

“Yep, it can happen in reverse, too,” she says with a shrug.

“Didn’t think my ex would be, but I got an email from her lawyer last night,” I confess to her.

“What did it say?”

“That she’s asking for the house in the breakup. If I give her the house, she will not talk about our relationship in public and will sign an NDA.”

“She did what?” Harper seems shocked.

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